Carte Blanche

Aruba


Eating here is like attending a dinner party thrown by your foodiest friends. Within the restaurant's new home in Oranjestad, seats are arrayed in a sleek open kitchen where you interact with chef Dennis while he prepares a surprise five-course meal. Glen is the maître d', preparing drinks and seeing to your comfort. Reserve in advance – far in advance.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Aruba attractions

1. Fort Zoutman

0.25 MILES

It's not much to look at, but this 18th-century fort was built to defend the port against pirates. The attached Willem III Tower was added later, serving…

2. Aruba Historical Museum

0.25 MILES

Fort Zoutman houses a tiny museum featuring rotating exhibits on the island's history. It's worth the price of admission just to climb to the top of the…

3. Dr Eloy Arends House

0.27 MILES

A local landmark – and no wonder, it's a beauty. Dating to 1922, the elegant, emerald-green, white-trimmed house is now part of the city-council complex.

4. Wilhelmina Park

0.27 MILES

This shady refuge is a tribute to Queen Wilhelmina, the longest-reigning Dutch monarch (1890–1948).

5. Aruba Archaeological Museum

0.46 MILES

The capital's newest museum is housed in the beautifully restored colonial-era Ecury Complex, home to a successful merchant family throughout the 20th…

6. Surfside Beach

0.75 MILES

Surfside is a pretty pleasant place to spend an afternoon if you're hankering after some sun, surf and sand. It's the best, most swimmable beach in…

7. Aruba Aloe Museum & Factory

1.63 MILES

You'll see aloe – the spiky desert plant that is the source of the healing and moisturizing aloe-vera gel – sprouting all over the island. Aruba Aloe…

8. Hooiberg

2.5 MILES

Aruba's second-highest peak attracts lionhearted souls with its 165m, 587-stair climb. Summiting Hooiberg (it means 'haystack' in Dutch) takes most people…